Oxfam's 'brand goal' is to put itself out of existence - by eliminating hunger and poverty. Most brands, though, have commercial objectives. There's no doubt that David Beckham, and those who manage him, exploit his 'brand' to gain maximum commercial value from it. But, particularly in the light of recent tabloid stories, he needs to get his product as strong as possible.

In Brand it like Beckham, Andy Milligan analyses the player as a brand and draws lessons that other brands can learn.

· To be a great brand, you have to have a great product in the first place: not necessarily a better product, but something that is different, that you are dedicated to and constantly strive to improve. Brands are like foot-ballers in this respect: play off your past and you will soon be out of the team.

· Managing a brand is a systematic process. Celebrities are no longer just endorsers of other people's products; they are brands in their own right, and are learning how to manage themselves as such.

· Brands are built on core values which people admire and which are communicated through a personality they like. Celebrity brands are just the same: they have to be clear about their purpose and values, and act accordingly.

· A celebrity such as Beckham manages his identity with attention to detail and awareness of its impact. Every look, every syllable of your name, every stitch of your clothes, every follicle of your hair is part of your brand identity and needs to be treated with care.

· The best brands set out to do what they say. So it is with personalities as brands. Have a clear goal, stay true to yourself and make sure you get the maximum amount of credit for what you have done.

· Commercialising a personality brand requires that you to think not only about how much you can earn now, but also about how any deal is going to help you achieve your brand goals and sustain your revenues in the long term.

· Managing relationships with clubs, other celebrities and even national teams is all part of brand building. You have to choose your partners with care - and manage them with even more care.

· Protecting your brand is not about firing off letters from lawyers; rather, it is a complex proactive process. The owner of legal rights has to understand the language of brand protection every bit as well as the traditional brand owner and be every bit as aggressive.

· Having a strong brand gives you options to develop in the future, but you need to think, plan and move swiftly while you have the advantage of a lot of goodwill. You cannot live on your reputation for very long.